One of the area's few Certified Picture Framers, the profession's standard of excellence.

Debbie was born in Bellefonte, PA, while her Dad was getting his Ph.D. in Mathematics at Penn State. Things have come full circle, bringing Debbie back to Pennsylvania after living in Buffalo and Binghamton, NY, Terre Haute, Indiana, studying in Philadelphia and London, and living in "The Big Apple".

Debbie has been sining for audiences since age 2, under her Mom's tutelage. This gave her a lifelong love of music and led her to the stage at an early age. Debbie graduated Magna Cum Laude with her BA degree in Theater and Communications from Temple University. While in college, Debbie held the lead in many shows and also was awarded the Charlotte Cushman Award for Excellence in Performance and the Statecrafters Award for performing. Debbie studied in London for a semester and sang with the Hammersmith Opera Company. Debbie sang in 'dive bars' in New York with sets of Jazz and Musical Theater and supported herself with a 'day job' of working for Hicks and Greist Advertising.

In 1987, Debbie's Dad, Sig, asked her to come back to Harrisburg to find a permanent home for The Smith's Framing (which has now become Smith Custom Framing & Fine Art Gallery). Debbie found an 1870's Victorian home which Sig, Debbie, and Debbie's mom, Polly, restored to better than its original glory. The business then became Smith Custom Framing and Victorian Galleries and served customers in that location until Polly and Sig retired from the business in 1998 to travel and enjoy life, but soon after selling the building, Debbie's Dad was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.

Debbie continues to perform on stage, acting, singing and dancing. Her favorite roles include Lucy in Jekyll and Hyde, and her tour de force role of Vivian Bearing in WIT! In both shows she dies on stage... maybe that is her barometer for favorites? Debbie still performs the National Anthem for sporting events and graduations, is a troubadour for weddings and gets to vote for the Oscars since she is a member of SAG/Aftra, the union that represents professional film and TV actors.

Debbie is happy to call Central Pennsylvania her home. She lives in Camp Hill with her boyfriend, Rick Stevens, and two cats, Simon and Mikado.

Debbie is grateful every day for her friends, customers and staff who lift her and her business to new levels. Debbie is thankful that her life is abundant, exciting, and fulfilling in so many ways. The legacy that her Mom and Dad began continues and grows.

Nancy Riggs

Nancy grew up in Arlington, Virginia, the youngest of six children, and spent a lot of time on the river in the 'power seat', doing competitive rowing in High School. She also was a bicycle courier in Washington D.C., apprenticed as a carpenter and worked as a custom framer at the well-known Mickelson's Gallery. As you see, her past is varied and that's what makes her such an asset here. Nancy is very focused and precise in both her interests and her work.

Nancy thrives on change and enjoys the challenge of learning and mastering anything new. Nancy has been married to Stuart for 31 years and they have two children, Nathanial and Sophie. Thye also have 2 pets; Lucky (who is a very lucky kitty indeed) and Ginger, their dog, who tries to terrorize the cat but fails miserably. Nancy designed a climbing palace for Lucky so he can feel even more superior to Ginger. Nancy hopes to be able to market this invention in the future. Although Nancy has many interests, her main passion is seeing the beauty in herself as well as those around her. She knows that there are no coincidences and there is meaning in everything in life. That is how she happened to come here, feeling a spiritual push that she come and inquire about work. Feeling the same back, Nancy was hired the next day, and the rest, as they say, is history. Nancy is a strong member of her church, The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints, and gets excited to learn new and deeper truths by studying every day.

Kate Withers

Kate was born and raised in Chevy Chase, MD. She attended The Pratt institute of Art in Brooklyn, New York and holds a BFA in Graphic Design and Photography. Her other career choice was to become a Doctor…and would have been, if it had been up to her parents! She worked in New York City for six years, as a fashion and product photographer and also did “paste-ups” before the advent of computers. She also was in a punk art film in NYC. She moved to Philly after that, where she worked at an Advertising Agency while re-habbing houses. Kate moved to Perry County in 1990 and has called Central Pennsylvania her home ever since. She just re-habbed her own house and added an additional living space for her gallery and entertaining. Kate continues to create art in her own studio. She first learned picture framing while managing the Dick Blick art store in Lemoyne and then went on to manage ImageArts in the West Shore Plaza. While there, she was sent to Atlanta, Georgia, for a Larson Juhl Educational class on conservation framing. Kate came to Smith Custom Framing as a result of meeting a mutual friend and the rest. She came in and introduced herself with that bubbly personality and a smile…Kate’s enthusiasm is so infectious so, that day, she found not only a job but also, a new friend, in Debbie. Kate has been teaching various fitness classes for years, from Spinning to Pilates to Yoga. Kate currently teaches Yoga at Momentum in Mechanicsburg. Kate studied Yoga in India and has traveled there many times. Traveling to strange and exotic places is one of Kate’s true loves and passions. She doesn’t get the chance to travel as much anymore since she got a puppy!!!! Beautiful Cinder (or Minky or whatever nickname suits for the day) is a well-loved Pitbull by Kate and her boyfriend, Robert Bobby Blosser. Kate likes to paint, create collages and unusual things from found objects (aka trash). Kate is a delight and am lucky she came breezing into the shop in March of 2013 saying “I’m Kate!!” Of course she is! We are lucky to have her to brighten our days and show us how to breathe. Namaste…

Thom Glace

While Thom Glace is a native of Central Pennsylvania, he took a long path finding his way back to the Harrisburg area. He and his wife, Mary, have lived in various locations, including North Carolina, New Hampshire, St. Croix USVI and The Netherlands. After college, he worked in a publishing firm, a newspaper and 2 advertising firms, including his own in Greensboro, NC. While managing a firm in the Virgin Islands, he also taught college at the University of the Virgin Islands and wrote on a couple of Television shows in the Caribbean region. He was also employed by a major electronics components company in marketing & sales- with assignments in The Netherlands, and saw over 40 countries while in International marketing for them. Thom and Mary were customers before they left for the Netherlands and have remained customers, become great friends, and Thom uses his artistic skills in the shop helping customers design their artwork for framing. Nine years ago, Thom had a Catastrophic Heart Attack, and was forced to retire on disability. He took up watercolors, to have a little hobby. Interestingly, his father was also an artist. Thom was influenced by the works of Scottish artist, Archibald Thornhill, Phil Bean and Georges Seurat. Since he has honed his talent, his art has taken off, specializing in Watercolor Studies of fish and dragonflies, he is now in galleries and shops in Montana, New Hampshire, Gettysburg, Boiling Springs, New Cumberland, Lancaster, Coburn and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He will be expanding to galleries in North Carolina, West Virginia and Virginia and in the coming months and will have a one-man show in the Drake Gallery in January 2015. Thom has become very involved with donating his time and artwork to charities. He feels he should not waste his second chance with life and should contribute what he can. In that vein he is active with The Center for Independent Living in Pennsylvania, the Center Stage program for the Children’s wing of Penn State Milton Hershey Hospital – and in connection with his love of both painting and fly fishing he has dedicated his resources to- Project: Healing Waters with the 2nd Annual Tight Lines & Tall Tales Festival this June in Brevard, NC and in October for the Cape Lookout Albacore Festival- donating a collection of original and print artwork. With the great organization supporting breast cancer survivors- Casting for Recovery- he has donated not only Framed originals and prints, but has set up an On-Line Store- The Pink Fly- using his artwork and all proceeds going to Casting for Recovery. His other activity is no surprise- Trout Unlimited. His local chapter last year presented him with the President’s Award for raising funds through his art donations. This part of his growth as a watercolor artist has been his greatest reward.